Ambassadors of the project in Slovenia

Filip Flisar, a wacky guy from Maribor, is an inspiration not only with his moustache but also with his exceptional sporting accomplishments in ski cross in which he is a promising prospect for a medal in the upcoming winter Olympics. He is known as a relaxed and funny guy who has always got a joke up his sleeve.

Practice and studying must take up a lot of your time, but I still wonder, do you ever go to the theatre?
Well, yes, practice and studying do take up a lot of my time, but that is not an excuse not to go to the theatre. When I was young my mom and I went to the theatre quite often and I loved it but I also loved the baked bread with herbal butter that we ate between the break, haha. Anyway, I haven't been to the theatre for quite a while now, but I am planning to go soon.

What drew you to The Generosity Experience project?
I was drawn to it because the project is trying to improve human relationships, and this I believe represents a great issue in modern society. I also think that the idea of the project and I have a lot in common, so I definitely support it.

They say that in extreme sports each branch functions as one big happy family, which does not always hold true when it comes to the more mainstream sports, where rivalry prevails. Do you think you are more open to generous acts?
I like ski cross because the atmosphere there is so relaxed. Of course, this doesn't mean that we aren't competitive when we race but we stick to the saying: »what happens on the tracks stays on the track«. In this sport inconvenient and unfair situations often occur but at the end of the day we are all friends and we support each other. After the races we all hang out, go partying when one of us has reached a great success and of course help each other to get home after the party.

I am sure that numerous teenagers consider you to be the daring and bold, but on the other hand I am sure that it was these very characteristics that made you hit rock bottom on numerous occasions, literally and figuratively.
How do you pull yourself together after a fall?
In this sport the literal fall, when you fall and injure yourself physically is actually easier to bear. The hardest fall occurs when you are trying really hard and success doesn't come. In such a situation it is very important to have a strong goal. I have noticed that people lack the ability to firmly set their goals nowadays. Even in sports! I always set my goals clearly and almost nothing can stop me, because I am extremely stubborn and determined and I'll do anything to achieve what I have decided.

You are at the top in the world of ski cross. People in similar situations often state that it is lonely at the top. Do you agree with this?
Oh come on! This happens to people who chose a different or should I say wrong path to reach their goals. I am not saying that their path is unfair, they are usually just selfish and smug and of course that kind of behaviour is usually accompanied with loneliness. When I won the crystal globe the most pleasing experience was that all coaches and competitors from other teams came up to me and said that if anyone deserves this, it had to be me. This was a truly touching confirmation that I am doing something right!

Do you love anybody more than yourself?
Hahahah of course, I am not a metro sexual. I love my family the most, of course; they feed me, which is not easy considering how much I eat. I also love my friends. I have a small circle of friends and they are really important to me. And right now they feel bad because I can't hang out so much anymore because of my obligations. But I am sure they understand.

photo: Žiga Culiberg

Eva and Nika, teenagers from Ljubljana, who are attending the Poljane High school, were catapulted to the Slovenian celebrity scene after their feisty, energetic and special performances in the Slovenian talent show Misija Evrovizija. Today, they are definitely the most recognizable twins in Slovenia. In spite of their sudden fame they are still extremely grounded, full of great energy and of course lively as any other 16 year old.

What does it feel like to be one of the Prusnik twins?
Nika:It comes natural to me, because I have been one all my life. It's cool to be a twin, because you always have somebody to cover your back and the surname Prusnik is also cool. We are glad to have the parents and family that we have, because if it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be what we are. Being a Prusnik twin is fantastic.Eva: I don't imagine being anybody else but a Prusnik twin. it's wonderful to be an individual but also a part of somebody else, who is also a part of you. It is truly hard to imagine the bond between twins, you can't see it but you can feel it and its unbreakable. Carrying the Prusnik surname also means a great deal to me because it's my family's name and I respect this.

What has fame brought or should I say took away?
Nika: Well, we are certainly more recognizable, we met a lot of new people, we have discovered who our real friends are, we attend interesting events, sometimes we receive gifts, such as for instance tickets for Zaz's concert that we received from Kino Šiška, which was an unforgettable experience for us, and we're really grateful, it was excellent.Eva:Well I think that various life experiences always bring something and take something away. A lot of our new experiences are connected to our recognition, but I don't know exactly which one brought something and which one took something away.

What drew you to The Generosity Experience project?
Nika: The idea and the message of the project. I am extremely interested in theatre and acting and I think that projects like The Generosity Experience should receive greater support, because they encourage great human relationships. They point out that it's important to follow your dreams, be bold and dare to live, spread generosity around the world. Through projects like this I can share my message with others, because we never know when we change somebody's life.Eva: My older sister Anja told me about the project about a year ago and she said it was connected to generosity, youngsters and their point of view on this matter. They are putting up a show this year, and this is what encouraged me even more, because I love acting. I like the idea that the project encourages and stands for generosity, free spirit, courage, charity work and all kinds of other virtues. Nowadays society lacks those virtues because we are occupied with other insignificant stuff. A great project!

Do you have any role models?
Nika: I have a lot of role models. They are usually people who have a great impact on me and give me great advice and references for life. They are definitely my mom Natali, dad Darko, older sister Anja and brother Rok. Besides them I find role models in every person that in his own way marks the world of culture, sports and other areas. These are mostly simple people, who follow their dreams, practice what they preach and spread that among others.Eva: I think that we can learn a lot from every human being or living thing, especially about ourselves. It's not necessary for my role model to be a person; it can be an idea, message, book, or poem. But of course I have embodied role models, my parents and my older sister Anja.

How do you understand the word generosity?
Nika:Nowadays you can rarely see generosity in this busy world. For me this means to stop for a moment, step out of yourself to see what is going on elsewhere, to exceed your limits and help people, give them love without asking anything in return.Eva: This is a word rarely heard nowadays. But it is one of the most beautiful words I've ever heard. For me it's an unconditional act, it doesn't require anything in return. An act that enlarges the heart but doesn't increase the ego.

What is your most generous act you have ever done?
Nika:I try to be generous every day, I try to give a person something I think he needs the most in that moment, sometimes just a word or a look. I hope I will be more generous every day and I wish the same for other people in the world.Eva: I don't distinguish between generous acts. Every single one of them has it's own value. I try to be generous every day. Sometime I wish generous acts would take a greater part in our lives.